Noin's strength: Chp. 1 Nothing means anything....
by Nikhya
Summary: A story about Noin's feelings after Zechs disappears.......mild angst....Please read and review. :O)
1. Noin's strength: Chp. 1 Nothing means an...

Yep, it may come as a surprise, but I DON'T own Gundam Wing! *gasps* ^_~ Nah, I don't own it, but I would like to give credit to all the people who do own it and created it. As I always say, if they hadn't created it, this fanfiction would not be here. ^_^ Now please read and review!  
  
  
  
Noin's strength Chp. 1: Nothing means anything..  
  
*Chibi Noin pops up* *looks at Nikhya strangely*: What's THAT supposed to mean?! "Nothing means anything"?! What kind of title is THAT?!  
Nikhya: Hey! This is my first story about you! You better be nice, or else I won't continue it!   
Chibi Noin: Aw, you wouldn't do that to me. *smiles* I'm your favorite character! You're such a lyin turkey!  
Nikhya: *sighs* I'm a flightless bird and I know it ...Anyway, don't pay attention to the title...it's just there for decoration. ^_~ *ahem* NOW....  
  
  
On with the story....  
  
  
"Zechs!!" Noin screamed in agony as she woke from what seemed to be a nightmare...What had been so terrible to wake her from a sound sleep? She didn't remember having a dream...all she remembered was waking up screaming Zechs' name...  
  
She was panting heavily as she sat up in bed, sweat dripped from every inch of her body. "Geez, now I'm going to have to take a shower..." Throwing the covers off of her and hopping off the bed, she felt her heartbeat return to it's normal pace. It must have been a really terrible dream for her heart to be racing so, not to mention crying out in her sleep like that. She glanced over at the digital clock on her dresser. It dimly shone 3:00 am. "Great...only 3 more hours till I have to be up and getting ready to meet Relena and Dorothy..."   
  
She stretched her arms and yawned as she contemplated whether to go back to sleep for a couple hours or take a shower and get breakfast ready... "I guess it wouldn't hurt to just get ready now...I'm already up..."  
  
Beautiful music filled her apartment after pushing some of the top buttons on her stereo. She had always loved classical, whether in the morning after she got up or at night right after dinner...she especially liked listening to it after a long fight. It never really calmed her, in fact it did the opposite, but it did give her some 'quiet time' to think. She needed a lot of time to think lately...after HE left, she had needed more time than ever... Noin entered her bathroom and closed the door softly behind her.  
  
Noin let her nightgown and undergarments hit the bathroom floor and stepped out of them to turn on the shower. The metal squeaked against itself as she turned the warm water knob, making her flinch slightly. "Stupid knobs. I'll have to get them replaced." She sighed. The apartment was really nice, but there were certain things about it that Noin didn't like at all...She wished she could change them, but didn't have the time she needed...it would've been a waste of money anyway...  
  
Steam filled the bathroom as she pulled back the shower curtain and stepped in. The water stung her skin as it hit her body. It was too hot, but she didn't care. She hardly felt the pain. Pain was the least of her problems these days. She was almost completely numb to pain, physical and mental.. and why shouldn't she be? She had lost almost all of her family... and when they left, she had decided to become an OZ soldier. After what seemed an eternity, she finally was being seen as honorable. She was getting higher in life, people respected her. One day, though, she had looked at her hands and realized that they were covered in blood...other people's blood, but somehow she had become used to it. 'They' were the enemy. They deserved to die, right? Soon after she'd thought it, she pushed it to the back of her mind and decided she would do whatever she had to. For peace? To please others? She had no idea anymore...  
  
The icing on the cake, though, was when the one person she truly loved with all her heart had vanished right before her own eyes. He was there one minute, and gone in what seemed to be only a matter of seconds...slipped right through her blood soaked fingers...  
  
Noin began scrubbing herself hard, trying to wash off those years of guilt and pain. Her hands became raw and red as she kept rubbing the soap on them, as if she could wash off the blood that had stained her hands. She had never actually liked the fighting. Not like the others did... She shuddered as she remembered the feeling of adrenaline rushing through her body as she climbed in her mobile suit. Why had that adrenaline rush been there EVERY time she crawled into that wretched, yet beautiful piece of machinery. Had she liked it? Had she been lying to herself the whole time about hating war? Did she like seeing the blood spill into her hands? No! Of course not! She did hate the idea of war! She didn't know why in the world she had even entered it in the first place!   
  
Noin found herself kneeling in her shower, letting the water run over her short black hair and down her face...down around her whole body, as she stared at the drain. She looked up as she realized....Wait.....  
  
Yes, she did know. She knew exactly why she became a part of OZ. She wanted to fight for her sanity...and for the people she held dear...those that were left and those who had died. Oz had 'promised' it's soldiers lasting peace and security. Willingly, she had joined...and fought. That was all over now, though...wasn't it? Peace had finally been achieved and Noin was with the people she belonged with...she knew that much now... "Willingly...for OZ..." she thought as she gave out a slight chuckle. An almost completely blank expression seemed to be permanently painted on her face as she laughed... Then Noin did something she hadn't done for a long time....she cried....  
  
Her light chuckles soon evolved into sobs as tears angrily found their way down her cheeks. She gently wrapped her arms around herself and curled up in the bottom of her shower. "Oh God please....please..." She sobbed as she softly called out for help. "Please, help me...I don't know what else...what else to do..." The warm water that fell onto her body was her only comfort as she cried. Cried for what seemed an eternity...   
  
  
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"Dorothy, have you seen Ms. Noin today?" Relena stood from her desk as Dorothy entered her room.  
  
"Why, no, I haven't Ms. Relena. I believe she was to have arrived about an hour ago, though." Dorothy stood with her hands clasped in front of her.  
  
"That's rather odd. She's never late for any kind of engagement. Maybe she stopped to get some extra things to decorate with, hm?" She kept her eyes focused on Dorothy for a reply.  
  
"She might have, but I highly doubt it, Ms. Relena. Ms. Noin knows that we have all the necessary supplies to decorate the ballroom for tonight's party."   
  
"Then where in the world do you think she could possibly be?" Relena was beginning to get a bit perturbed with the way Dorothy seemed to be handling herself. She were acting as though she knew something, and that had always bothered Relena.  
  
"Ms. Relena, I seriously doubt that Noin has even left her house yet...much less even thought about the ball..." Dorothy's eyes seemed to be saddening now. Something Relena had never seen before...She quickly dismissed the thought of Dorothy even accepting the idea of sadness when she realized that Dorothy showed no signs of angst on the rest of her face. She was smiling, just as usual.  
  
"Hmm....Maybe I should go to her apartment and check if she's still there." Relena stepped out from behind her desk and grabbed up her jacket. "Will you accompany me Dorothy?"  
  
Dorothy nodded solemnly, "If you wish me to, Ms. Relena."  
  
And with that, they both left the room......  
  
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Noin's eyes fluttered open as she heard distant thumps reverberate around her apartment... The water falling from the shower head was cold now...freezing....She mumbled faintly as she clumsily reached for the shower's water knobs.   
  
"Noin! Ms. NOIN!!" Relena pounded on the door urgently.   
  
"Ms. Relena...you're being awfully loud. She's probably not here, and that is why she isn't opening the door." Dorothy stood behind Relena quietly for a moment.  
  
"Dorothy! Don't patronize me and stop acting so damned calm! I know something is wrong and so do you. She is in this apartment! I have to get in there...I'm going downstairs to talk to the landlord. He'll have an extra set of keys." Relena turned quickly to run down the stairs. She turned back for a moment and glared at Dorothy. "Stay here...you know what to do if anything happens."  
  
Dorothy nodded and watched Relena as she descended the stairway. She sighed when she was out of sight and turned back to knock on the door once more. "Ms. Noin...please...answer the door."   
  
Noin coughed and sputtered...her body was cold. "How long have I been...in here?" Her teeth chattered as she slowly crawled out of the shower. When she made it out of the shower, she finally mustered up enough strength to pull herself up by the sink into a standing position. "I must have blacked out..." She held her head in her hand as she reached for a towel that lay on a rack next to the sink with her other hand. "I wonder for how long..." Her eyes shot open wide as she remembered her engagement with Relena and Dorothy. "I've not been in here for THAT long to have been late...have I?"   
  
Dorothy was pounding on the door now. "Noin! Open this door, now! Ms. Noin!!!"   
  
There were those loud thumps again...but, now, she could also hear what seemed to be a muffled voice along with the thumping. Noin shuffled over to the bathroom door and turned the knob.  
  
"Ms. NOIN!" Dorothy looked down the hall as she kept pounding the door. She was getting a few weird looks from people who were hanging their heads out of their apartments. "What in the HELL are you looking at??!?!"   
  
The heads disappeared and doors closed quickly. Dorothy turned back to the door and started pounding again.   
  
Noin finally realized what was going on when she stepped out of her bathroom. She wrapped the towel around her body and started for the front door. "I'm coming! Hold your horses!!"  
  
Dorothy stepped back, almost jumping when she saw the door knob turn and the door slowly open. "Ms. Noin?"  
  
"Who else?" Noin smiled as she invited Dorothy in. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Relena and I decided to come and check on you. It's been an hour since you were supposed to meet us at the Sanq Kingdom ballroom."  
  
Noin snapped her head back to look at the clock on her wall. "I was in there that long?!" She turned back to Dorothy.  
  
"In where, Ms. Noin?" Dorothy looked a bit puzzled.  
  
"No where, Dorothy. Never mind. Where's Ms. Relena?" Noin brushed a strand hair out of her eyes.  
  
"She's downstairs talking to the landlord. She should be back any minute, now, though." Dorothy sat down in Noin's living room as Noin walked into her bedroom to change.  
  
"What is she doing talking to the landlord?" Noin yelled from her bedroom.  
  
"She was trying to get an extra set of keys to this apartment..." Dorothy's eyes fell upon a small frame sitting in front of her on a small coffee table. Bingo...  
  
Noin walked out of her bedroom and into the living room drying her head with a towel. "Sorry, I just couldn't hear you from inside the shower when you were banging on the door." She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Dorothy holding a picture frame....And Dorothy didn't look to happy with what she had found...  
  
"Ms. Noin, please don't act so casual...I know what's wrong with you. Relena does not, because sometimes Ms. Relena is a bit...well, naive ... But I know exactly what's wrong with you." She handed Noin the picture frame after rising to her feet. "You can't let go of his disappearance. I know you also worry about guilt...the guilt that comes with war. Everyone feels that at one point or another. But, that's not what you beat yourself up inside about..."  
  
Noin was becoming a bit annoyed with Dorothy...no, she realized, she wasn't annoyed by Dorothy(although, it was kind of hard NOT to be). The fact that Dorothy knew what Noin was thinking...understood what she was going through... that was what bothered her. "Dorothy..." She started gently.  
  
"No, Ms. Noin... Don't try to stop this conversation." Dorothy harshly shot back. "Ms. Noin, if you must hold onto your dream that Zechs is still out there, alive, go ahead...there's nothing wrong with that. You may be absolutely right, and he may come back one day. But for now, he's not here and you can't blame yourself. You can't blame yourself for everything that has happened. You're such a strong woman, Noin, and such a strong woman can overcome what you are going through right now."  
  
Noin almost smiled. "Strong?" She huffed as she plopped down on the couch, outlining the frame she held in her hands with her fingers. The room fell silent for a few minutes as Noin pawed her frame. "Yes, Dorothy, I suppose I am..." She set the picture frame back down on the coffee table and got up from the couch. "You know it'll take just a little more time for me to cheer up right now...but it'll happen faster, thanks to you. Thank you, Dorothy." She placed her hand on Dorothy's shoulder and squeezed gently.  
  
Dorothy nodded and flashed a faint smile. "Now let us go downstairs and check on Relena. She was rather worried when we drove over here."  
  
"She's probably trying to give the landlord a speech about how she needs the keys to my apartment..." Noin chuckled as she and Dorothy walked out the door.  
  
Noin turned around to lock it. "Little does Relena know, my landlord is very strict...he doesn't trust anyone."  
  
Dorothy and Noin turned to each other as they heard loud fast footsteps mixed with a jingle of keys coming up the stairs.   
  
A smirk spread across Dorothy's face. "I don't know...sounds like Relena's speech might have worked."   
  
"Noin!" Relena's face lit up as she spotted Noin on the staircase ahead of her. "There you are! Are you okay?!" She reached Noin and gave her a gentle hug. "Thank goodness. I was so worried."  
  
"And I thought I was supposed to be YOUR guardian..." Noin hugged Relena back and started back down the stairs. "So you got the keys from my landlord?"   
  
Relena pouted, "Yeah, but I had to steal them..." She held up the pair of keys. "You land lord is awfully rude."  
  
"I know...thank goodness I'm leaving here soon."   
  
"I'm glad you're coming back, Noin. I hate it when you have to go on these long trips. These government officials need to leave you alone." Relena smiled as she chattered away.  
  
"Well, they promised me this was the last trip. Thank God...now I can stop moving around every few months and actually settle down." Noin sighed. "And finally, I'll be able to become a real guardian to you, Relena."  
  
Dorothy walked silently behind them, smiling to herself. Hearing Noin talk so casually...She hadn't heard it from her in a while.   
  
Noin was definitely a strong woman...and she was definitely going to get stronger...  
  
  
  
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Okies! That's the end!! ^^ I hope you liked my first Noin fic. There will be a second chapter...but for now, I'm working on other projects. There are only two chapters to this story so far...if the second one ends up being too long, though...I'll turn it into three chapters. But that's as far as this story needs to go. :O) I hope you liked the first chapter. Please review, cause it won't take ya long and it doesn't hurt one bit. ^_~   
  
Chibi Noin: *grrrr's at you(the reader)* Yeah, you better review...cause it will hurt MUCH less than getting a big mallet whack to the head...*takes out her mallet* which is exactly what you'll get if you don't review....   
Nikhya: Pay no attention to her...she's just grumpy cause Zechs hasn't entered the story yet....  
Chibi Noin: *whacks Nikhya* You be quiet, turkey!! Where's my Zechs?!?! *keeps whacking her*  
Nikhya: ouchies....  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Preparations

  
  
Noin's Strength: Chp. 2 Preparations...  
  
  
The lights practically blinded Noin as she casually walked into the ballroom. She resisted the urge to shield her eyes and settled with a small squint.  
  
"Geez, you'd think we were using 1000 watt light bulbs to light this place." Noin's voice echoed through the huge room and reverberated down the halls. Her head snapped over to a small figure in the room as it shuffled across the floor, table to table.  
  
"Well, I think Peygan thought I said 100 and I meant 70. He's a little hard of hearing these days, as you know." Relena was pulling the table cloth on a nearby table, straight. "I wanted the soft glow effect for tonight's ball, but I think we're going to have to settle for the 'walking on the sun' effect instead." Relena smiled sweetly at Noin as she looked up from the table cloth.  
  
Noin returned the smile and then took a look around the room. Her breath was suddenly taken away from her as her as she turned toward the huge wall of windows that was off to her left. "Oh my. It's...beautiful."  
  
Relena nodded as she straightened out the last wrinkle in the table cloth she'd been fiddling with. "The moon is supposed to be full tonight and the good thing is, there are hardly any clouds in the sky right now. Everyone will love the view."  
  
"Maybe that's not such a good thing, Relena. Everyone will stop dancing and line up against these windows to stare at the sky all night." Noin laughed as she turned to take a look at the room.  
  
"Well, there's certainly enough room for it. This place is bigger than a football field. This wall could line up plenty of people..." Relena smiled as she walked over to the window and placed her hand on the huge pane of glass.   
  
A smile slowly spread across Noin's face as she watched a handsome figure step into the room. "Relena, I must be going. I've yet to get my dress and make up on."   
  
"That's fine, Noin. I'll see you later then." Relena dreamily stared out into the sky. The sun was just setting, and the colors were exquisite.   
  
Noin began for the exiting hallway, holding in a chuckle as the handsome figure crossed her path. "Don't startle her too badly." She had said quietly as she passed him.  
  
A smirk almost touched his lips when he heard the remark....almost.  
  
Noin turned as she reached the hallway. Her eyes glistened as she watched Heero quietly walk up behind Relena. The air was different, she realized. Something didn't feel right.... Quickly shaking off the feeling, she hurriedly turned around and made her way up to her room.  
  
  
She was beautiful...her hair fell around her shoulders and down her back like pieces of golden silk. Her dress, or what he could see from behind, was stunning. The material looked a velvety texture. The cloth was white and thick, but moved so easily with every breath she took. It cascaded down her body, accentuating every curve, and rested beautifully around her feet. "Lovely..." He leaned in close and whispered into her ear.   
  
Immediately, a smile met Relena's lips. "You came..."  
  
"Yes..." Heero reached around Relena from behind and showed her a small box with a ribbon tied to it. "For you..."  
  
Relena gently took the box from his hands and smiled. "Why Heero...I didn't think you cared." She teased.  
  
"I don't...but I'm giving it to you anyway." He stood behind her, expressionless as usual...  
  
Relena rolled her eyes and gently pulled the ribbon off of the box. Tipping it open slowly, she smiled when she caught a glimpse of something silver.  
  
The top of the small box dropped to the floor as Relena let out a small gasp. "Heero...I-it's...." She lifted the small silver locket necklace out of the box, letting it hang from her fingers. "It's beautiful..."  
  
"Good..." Heero felt a strong hand slap him on the back before he could finish what he was about to say.  
  
"HEY there Heero-boy! How are ya?!"   
  
Heero glared as he turned around to see Duo's goofy grin.   
  
Relena and laughed when she turned and saw Heero pop Duo upside the head.  
  
"Hey hey, no violence. Hilde'll be here in a sec. She'll kick your ass if my pretty face gets damaged." Duo batted his eyelashes and puckered his lips sarcastically.   
  
"Nah." Hilde walked into the room as if on cue, beaming. "Go ahead and kick his sorry tail, Heero. He needs it."  
  
Duo gave Hilde a pleading look as she reached his side. She gave him a wink and nudged him with her elbow.  
  
"You look great, Hilde babe." Duo looked her up and down. She was wearing a beautiful midnight-blue spaghetti strapped gown. The silken material was long, and lightly dragged the floor when Hilde walked. The fabric fell down her thin body, gently hitting each curve before cascading to the floor... She was thin, yeah, but boy did she have curves, Duo had always thought. And that slit up the side the dress didn't hurt either....   
  
Hilde snapped her fingers in front of Duo's face. "Hey, you're drooling, braid-boy."  
  
Duo smiled and winked as he took Hilde's hand and looked back at Heero and Relena. "So where's Noin goin? I just saw her walking through the halls...She looked a little distraught.."  
  
Relena grasped the tiny locket in her hand as she spoke. "Noin went to go get dressed for the party. She'll be back in a little bit. You say she looked distraught? Well, she's got a lot on her mind right now..."  
  
Heero spoke up. "How about we stop worrying about what other people are doing and do something ourselves?"  
  
Duo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, lets go wait out on the balcony and watch the sunset. Maybe I'll get a chance to push you off Heero..."   
  
Heero glared at Duo as Relena pulled on his hand.  
  
Hilde tugged lightly on Duo's braid.   
  
"Hey!" Duo smirked at Hilde.   
  
  
Back in Noin's room...  
  
Tears fell down her cheeks...She had so many questions....  
  
"Noin, I'm back...that's all that matters." A soft white glove gently brushed against Noin's cheek, wiping away stray tears.  
  
"No...no...you can't be." Noin shook her head feeling relieved, confused, and angry all at once. "You just can't..."  
  
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Hee hee! That's right! It ends right there. ^_~ But guess what? I have the third chapter almost done...so I'll probably post it tomorrow...then you won't have to suffer TOO long. ^_~ :O) Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know you'll like the next one! ^^ Review please, I wanna know what you guys think. Thanks!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Unexpected Guest

Yeah, yeah, I don't own Gundam wing and all that good stuff. I give all credit to those who put their sweat and blood into the producing, directing, and creating wonderful storyline and art of the coolest Anime on earth. ^_~ Last chapter...Zechs showed up? Hmm...I think it was kinda fishy the way he just SHOWED up outta no where in Noin's room... Were you wrong? Did I fool you? Or am I just leadin you on? Read and find out why dontcha? ;O) Enjoy!  
  
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Noin's Strength: Chp. 3 Unexpected guest  
  
  
"Noin, I'm back...that's all that matters." A soft white glove gently brushed against Noin's cheek.  
  
"No...no...you aren't." Noin shook her head softly. "You can't be. This is only...a dream..." She looked up at the one she longed for with sad eyes..."Just a dream."  
  
  
Noin jumped out of her sleep as she heard a sharp knock at her room's door. She cursed under her breath as she looked back at herself in her vanity mirror. "I fell asleep while I was putting my makeup on?!" She glanced at the powder puff she had dropped on the floor. "Geez, I must be tired..." She yawned softly and stretched. "Was I dreaming?...hmm.." She sat up straight, trying to remember little pieces of the quickly passed dream, but frustratingly couldn't scrape up one bit of it.   
  
"Noin!" A familiar voice called from behind the door. "The ball is about to start! Everyone is arriving."  
  
"Okay Relena, I'll be right down." Noin sighed as she picked up her brush.  
  
"Would you like me to escort you down Ms. Noin?"   
  
Noin turned toward the door on her vanity bench, wrinkling her dress as she shifted her legs. "No, Relena. You go on ahead and greet your guests. I'll be down in a minute."  
  
"Okay.."   
  
Noin turned back to her mirror and began to run the brush through her hair. She stared blankly at her reflection, as if in a trance. The room around her was only a haze as she finally put her brush down and stood up to smooth the wrinkles from her dress. Her hand gently ran over the straps on her dress, untwisting one from an awkward position. "I really need to get out more..." She gently shook her head in disgust at herself. Sure, she wasn't mourning all the time...she didn't mope around. It HAD been awhile since Zech's disappearance, but even right after, she didn't sit around feeling sorry for herself. She just wasn't that kind of woman. Still, she could see the longing in her own eyes when she looked at herself in the mirror...the longing for those beautiful eyes, that handsome physique... Oh, to be able to run her fingers through that soft platinum hair...  
  
She shook herself out of her daze. Her faint smile turned to a dark frown as she tightly balled her hands into fists. THAT was what she really hated...she let herself daydream. It had been happening all to often lately. "Why can't you leave me alone...I have to get on with my life..." She sighed as she walked over to her closet, her beautiful dress softly dragging the floor.   
  
"I know I'd die if I didn't have Relena..." Her gaze fell upon a small picture that stood on her night stand next to her bed as she slipped on her shoes. It held a picture of she, Relena, Dorothy, and the gundam pilots...it wasn't the greatest picture, because Heero was in the process of choking Duo...and then Relena had tried to break it up...THEN Dorothy got involved. It had been a timer on the camera that set it off, no photographer could've stood trying to take their picture...not if she/he was a perfectionist. A soft laugh escaped her as she glanced at the photo. She shook her head, a small smile touching her lips as she slipped her last shoe on. "And those boys..."  
  
After grabbing her dark violet gloves from her vanity and slipping them on, she ran her fingers through her hair, checking everything in the mirror one last time. She nodded at herself in approval and picked up a small glass bottle that read 'apple blossom'. A wonderful aroma filled the room as she quickly squeezed the bottle's handle, spraying some of the liquid onto her neck. "Mm..." she set the bottle back on the vanity and hurriedly shuffled for the door. She turned one last time to take a look around her room. "What am I forgetting...something just doesn't feel right..." Quickly shaking off the feeling, she closed the door behind her and patiently made her way down the stairs before her.  
  
  
  
"Hm...Noin should be down any minute now." Relena looked around the room uneasily. It was full of guests already. There was still plenty of room, and everyone looked as though they were having a good time. Even Wufei and Sally were hitting it off over at the punch bowl. Relena's eyes went wide as she watched Wufei give Sally a small cup of punch. "Oh my..." A smile spread across her face as she looked away. She didn't know what she was worried about. She shook her head and sighed. "Jitters I guess..."   
  
"Yes, I suppose you have a right to be a bit nervous. This IS the first party you've had since the war ended."   
  
Relena turned around to face the voice behind her and flashed a bright smile. "Hello Dorothy! Having a good time?"  
  
"Yes, quite." Dorothy looked around, trying to hide her urgency, but obviously looking for someone specific. "Relena, have you seen Ms. Noin?"   
  
"Ms. Noin will be down in a few moments. She was still getting ready when I went up to check on her." Relena glanced around the room again. "Why?"   
  
Dorothy looked back at Relena...Relena's eyes, she realized, were filled with dangerous curiosity. "I need to talk to her about personal matters..." Dorothy lightly curtsied. "Excuse me Relena..."  
  
"Of course." She watched as Dorothy passed her. "Oh, and Dorothy!" She turned to face her.  
  
"Yes, Relena?" Dorothy looked a bit disturbed as Relena called her back.   
  
"Your dress is beautiful." Relena smiled as she saw Dorothy's face change from disturbed to relieved.   
  
"Thank you. Yours isn't so bad either." Dorothy finally turned and dispersed into the crowd. Relena tried to keep track of her, but it was too difficult to watch her move through all the mingling people.  
  
"I wonder what 'personal matters' she was talking about..." Relena quickly shrugged it off, realizing it was none of her business. "Oh, Hilde! There you are! I thought I had lost you in all these people."   
  
A smiling Hilde approached a beaming Relena. "Hey Relena! It's a surprise that you don't have a whole group of people following you."  
  
"Well, you see, what I did to prevent that was...I---" Relena and Hilde continued their conversation through many disturbances...one for instance, when Duo came and decided to steal a small kiss from Hilde....  
  
  
Noin held the side of her dress as she walked carefully down the steps. The hallways were empty, surprisingly enough. "Hmm...everyone must be lined up against those windows..." She smiled to herself remembering her earlier conversation with Relena.   
  
"Ms. Noin!" Dorothy was at the bottom of the staircase.   
  
"Dorothy! Hello!" Noin smiled as Dorothy started up the staircase after her.  
  
"Ms. Noin, I have something very important to tell you." A smile spread across Dorothy's face...her eyes were dancing with anticipation.  
  
"Dorothy?" Noin didn't know whether to be scared or happy to see Dorothy.  
  
"Noin...I saw someone you may want to meet..."   
  
"Who?" Noin didn't have time to ask anymore questions. Dorothy was already on her way down the stairs.  
  
When Noin reached the bottom Dorothy motioned for her to follow. Not saying a word, Noin curiously followed. She didn't say anything as they passed the entrance to the ballroom and began walking toward the opening to the garden.   
  
Noin breathed in the night air as she followed Dorothy outside. "I can't remember the last time I was out here in the garden at night..."  
  
Dorothy smirked. "Well, you'll certainly be glad to be out her tonight...definitely." She started searching around, as if she had lost something...  
  
"Dorothy, may I ask who or what you are looking for?" Noin bent down to eye level with Dorothy as she looked in a bush.   
  
"He must be here..." Dorothy stood up tall and placed her hands on her hips, ignoring Noin's question. "Noin, you stay here for a little while, hm? I'm going back in there for a few minutes..."  
  
Noin nodded. Although, she didn't want to run into whoever Dorothy was talking about... What an odd person he must be. Hiding in bushes? Still, she didn't mind being out in the garden on such a lovely night...  
  
She clasped her hands in front of her and looked longingly up at the moon. Letting out a soft sigh, she sat down on a nearby stone bench. She looked around...She couldn't help but wonder who Dorothy had been looking for...And why she would want Noin to meet him...at least, she THOUGHT Dorothy had said it was a he..."  
  
Her eyes went wide and her body went stiff when she heard a low soothing voice behind her. "Noin..."  
  
She almost broke down and cried as soon as she heard the voice... It couldn't be...she was dreaming again. Yes, dreaming, she thought. Tears filled her eyes, despite her excuses to herself.  
  
"No, I don't think you're dreaming...either that or we are both dreaming the same thing..." She could hear the slight sarcasm in his voice...just like him...  
  
"No...it' can't be...It's just another daydream.." Noin shook herself out of her 'daydream' and stood from the bench. "Nothing more, I'm just hearing things..."   
  
"Hmm...that could be true. You COULD be going crazy...although, I think you were that when I first met you..." there was that sarcasm again...  
  
Noin felt a strong hand on her shoulder as the figure behind her chuckled. "Lucrezia..."  
  
Her eyes filled with tears. No one around here called her that...no one ever had. That is, except... Zechs... Always, when he had an apology to give to Noin, he called her Lucrezia...  
  
She spun around, tears spilling from her eyes, and grabbed the man behind her. "Please, Zechs...Please assure me you aren't just another daydream..."   
  
"Isn't the fact that you're almost squeezing the life out of me enough proof?" Zechs looked down at her and smiled warmly. And it's not Zechs anymore Noin...it's Millardo... I'm not hiding behind that mask anymore.  
  
She smiled, tears still fresh in her eyes. "Millardo, please...I'm sorry, but I'm just not convinced. I feel as though if I tried to kiss you, I'd be kissing air."   
  
He smiled, a bit taken aback by the statement but also seemed quite amused. He'd known Noin had strong feelings for him, but she'd never been outwardly open with them. His own feelings had been just as strong, but he had hid them away...even from himself... But now that he had found them...  
  
"Right now I'm probably hugging a tree or something..." Noin looked down at the arms that embraced her.  
  
"Don't worry, I wouldn't let your kisses be wasted on some tree... But, if you need more proof..." His gloved hand tipped up Noin's chin gently. "Then I suppose I'll have to comply.."   
  
Shivers traveled down Noin's spine as Millardo's delicate lips brushed against hers.   
  
"Hmm...I'm almost positive those were not leaves..." A smirk spread across Noin's face.   
  
"Well, I don't like the fact that you are only "ALMOST" positive..." Millard gently raised her face to his again...  
  
She let out a small sigh as Millardo gently pressed his lips to hers...  
  
Dorothy smiled as she left the garden, unnoticed by the reunited couple. "I wasn't lying, Relena...this really has been a good night. And it's gonna get a lot better." She smirked to herself as she went to look for a certain blonde-haired Gundam pilot with mischievous intentions...  
  
  
Relena stepped onto the platform in the ballroom and cleared her throat...all was soon quiet.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen. I suggest we get this party started." She said it so politely, it seemed awkward... But she smiled when the whole ballroom filled with light chuckles. "Come on! Lets dance!" She laughed out more enthusiastically. Everyone laughed aloud as the music began to play.   
  
  
The beautiful music lingered outside toward the garden, soothing Noin's nerves. She had definitely needed calming down after she realized she wasn't hugging Zechs and not a tree...although, if she HAD figured out she was hugging a tree, she might've needed a lot more calming down...not to mention therapy... She smiled to herself... Former 'Lieutenant' Noin in therapy. That would definitely squeeze a few laughs from Relena.   
  
"Noin, would you give me the pleasure of this dance?" His eyes obviously filled with happiness as he spoke to her...she felt she could get lost in them forever...  
  
"Of course..." She replied coyly.   
  
Noin felt as though she could dance with Millardo for an eternity.... Noin realized her legs felt like jelly when Millardo stopped both of their gentle swaying... She realized they hadn't been dancing long, it was just that Millardo seemed to have that effect on her...  
  
"Noin...I'm sorry...that I left you for so long. After I disappeared, I needed to lay low for a while...I came back to earth, reluctantly..."  
  
"Ze-Millardo...I couldn't possibly care less about the past now that you are finally here with me." Noin placed a finger over his lips. "If it makes you feel better, though, I accept your deepest apologies...but only if you give me another kiss."  
  
Millardo's eyes glistened with tears that wouldn't fall as a gentle smile ran across his lips. "I'm sure that could be arranged..."  
  
She shook her head as he gently pressed closer to kiss her rosy lips. "No...not here..." The smile on her face turned from sweet and innocent, to plotting and mischievous. "Come with me..."   
  
Noin grabbed his hand and started to lead him out of the garden. She stopped suddenly. "You didn't have any other plans did you?" She smiled.  
  
He returned the smile. "None that can't wait."  
  
He squeezed her hand as she turned back and started off again. Noin tip toed into the house, turning back to signal Millardo to be as quiet as possible. The music had stopped briefly, and sounds carried around that house too well. She flashed another mischievous smile.   
  
How he had longed for her smiles...he hadn't seen many of them, even before he'd disappeared... Now he'd received too many from her to count in the last few minutes... He wasn't complaining though.  
  
They both carefully crept past the ballroom entrances and up the stairs, laughing like little children who were doing something they weren't supposed to. The laughing stopped, and they both froze when they heard a voice call after them.   
  
"Hey you two..." It was Dorothy. She paused briefly, as if to stifle a laugh. "You have to come down sometime and show off that Mr. Millardo is back....Just make sure it's AFTER the ball. We don't want total chaos now do we?" She turned to leave, but then turned back again quickly. "Oh, and...I'll take care of Relena. She'll want to know where you are Noin. No worries, though..."  
  
The couple looked at each other and smiled as Dorothy turned once again to enter the ballroom. She waved them off as she disappeared through the entrance.  
  
Millardo stopped and tugged on Noin to make her face him. He had a most worried look on his face, as if he was going to say something he really didn't want to. "Noin...don't you even want to know what I'm doing here on Earth? Why I came back and why I hid for so long?"   
  
Noin smiled. "Do you want to tell the whole story twice or just once? You know when you show yourself to Relena, she'll want explanations. Lots of them, and she deserves them. Like I said before, you're here with me and that's all I care about right now. I'll ask for explanations when it's called for...Right now, to me, they aren't."   
  
He sighed, almost sounding relieved. A wide grin spread across his face.  
  
"So, then... where to now?" Millardo's eyes danced with curiosity mixed with a rather appealing mischief.  
  
"My room..."  
  
  
Noin's loud giggles echoed through the halls as they headed toward her room...but they were drowned out by the beautiful music that ran through the whole house...No one dared leave the ballroom, in fear they would miss all the fun. And Dorothy had taken care of all question about Noin......leaving the couple to the privacy they had deserved for so long ...  
  
  
  
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^_^ Hehe, you liked that? I hope so. I MIGHT make a another chapter...but I highly doubt that it will be anytime soon...although, you never know when it comes to writing. Sometimes you just sit down and accidentally start on something that you didn't mean to start out on in the first place. ^^;; Anyway, I hope you liked this small story about Noin. I figured, there weren't many stories on her and Zechs/Millardo, and I love the couple. I know it didn't have Zechs in it until the VERY end, giving you people less romance than you had hoped for, but that's why I'm seriously considering making another chapter. I feel I might have cheated some of you. ^_~ But anyway I hope you enjoyed what's here. Please read and review. :O) thanks for reading! ^^  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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